(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for effecting multiple scarifications in the skin and more especially for effecting multiple skin tests in a single operation.
The invention also contemplates a method of effecting multiple skin tests sequentially.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Skin tests are conducted as an essential part of medical diagnosis to determine materials that a patient may be allergic to.
The conventionally employed procedure is to place a drop of allergen in an aqueous medium to an appropriate site on the skin of the patient and to scratch the skin at the site with a scarifier so as to penetrate the epidermis to permit intracutaneous penetration of the allergen.
The performance of a large number of skin tests, sometimes as many as 50 different tests is a laborious, tedious, time consuming, uncomfortable and often traumatic experience for the patient, especially children.
It has previously been proposed to apply allergens in liquid form to a plurality of spaced apart sites on the skin and simultaneously to scarify the skin at such sites. U.S. Pat. No. 2,522,309--Frank A. Simon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,670--J. R. Krug et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,080--Gary L. Hein.
The Simon and Krug et al devices comprise a plurality of scarifiers extending from a planar surface having a significant area and so the skin tests must necessarily be performed on a relatively large planar body portion such as the back, and this necessarily requires that the patient remove all upper garments to expose the back surface.
The Hein device also employs scarifiers which are all located in the same plane but the body of the device is generally "centipede shaped", and would seem costly to manufacture.
All three of these prior described devices require application of liquid allergen to the scarifiers and are relatively complex in structure or in any event are not designed as single use disposable items.
In addition the adherence of liquid allergens, particularly aqueous solutions, to the scarifiers, is difficult to achieve.
It is an object of the invention to provide a device which is simple in construction and overcomes the disadvantages of the prior devices.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device as a disposable item ready for a single use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device which facilitates rapid multiple skin tests which may be conducted on any convenient skin area, including non-planar skin areas such as the upper arm and forearm.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method of effecting multiple skin tests, which can be performed rapidly with a minimum of inconvenience and discomfort to the patient.